Friday Night tussle for Reds & Scots

09/11/2017

Two sides who find themselves uncomfortably close to the bottom of the Greene King IPA Championship will lock horns tomorrow.

Jersey Reds host London Scottish under the Friday Night Lights at Stade Santander International in a contest that pits the division's 10th- and 11th-placed sides against each other. Each side will be looking for the win that sparks a move up the table, especially with trips for both the Reds and the Exiles to bottom side Rotherham Titans later this month.

On the eve of Armistice Day, there'll be commemorations connected to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal. The Reds are to wear a special shirt incorporating poppies in the design, and the club's Honorary Secretary William Church will sound the Last Post ahead of a pre-match silence. Serving members of the Armed Forces will be admitted free, while former servicemen and women are being offered tickets at the discounted members' rate of £12. For match tickets plus pre-match £10 meal deal in marquee, use Eventbrite

The Reds squad for the eighth league match of the season is largely unchanged from their most recent outing, the 17-36 home defeat by league leaders Bristol, with just two players coming into the 22. One is winger Josh Hodson, who slots into a back-line that is reshuffled following injury to centre Apakuki Ma'afu. Skipper Scott van Breda moves into midfield from full-back, with the 15 shirt going to recent signing Auguy Slowik.

With no change to the starting pack or forward replacements, the only other adjustment to the squad is on the bench, with Oli Bryant recovering from injury sustained at Ealing five weeks ago to earn selection ahead of Jason Worrall.

The two sides have met a dozen times, winning six apiece, since Jersey reached the Championship in 2012, a year after the Exiles had also achieved promotion from National 1. The Reds' first league win at this level was by 20-17 over the Scots at St Peter in 2012, but then the next five meetings went the way of the Londoners. The Reds achieved a double in 2015/16, and also gained three wins last season - one in the league and two in the B&I Cup, but arguably the most notable result was a thumping 10-36 win for the Exiles when they visited the Island last October.

It's a double-header weekend for the two clubs this weekend, as on Saturday there'll be a Zoo Shield match between the second teams, with Jersey Reds Athletic hosting London Scottish Highlanders at 11.30am.